Cape Breton University to Honour First Neurologist in Space – Dr. Roberta Bondar

Cape Breton University to Honour First Neurologist in Space – Dr. Roberta Bondar

Next month, Cape Breton University will recognize a great Canadian – the world’s first neurologist in space – Dr. Roberta Bondar, with a special convocation ceremony being held at the Bell Museum. Dr. Bondar will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Letters and be recognized for her pioneering contribution to space medicine research. Dr. Bondar is a cross-discipline thought leader with groundbreaking insights and research on the environment, innovation, discovery and leadership.

“Cape Breton University is honoured to be recognizing the work of Dr. Roberta Bondar, a leader who sets a wonderful example for CBU students in all that she does. Throughout her career, Dr. Bondar has amazed her colleagues and inspired Canadians with her passion for the environment, commitment to research and the diversity of her work. We are so pleased to be welcoming her to the CBU family,” says Dr. Dale Keefe, CBU President & Vice-Chancellor.

The public ceremony is being held on July 22 in conjunction with the celebration of Dr. Bondar’s 25th anniversary of flight on the space shuttle Discovery mission STS 42 in 1992. To celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary, Dr. Bondar’s photo exhibit, Light in the Land will be on display at the Bell Museum during the time of the convocation and will continue to be on public display from July 17 to August 31.

A special portion of the convocation ceremony will include a performance by the glorious voices of the Elmer Iseler Singers, conducted by their artistic director Ms. Lydia Adams, a native of Glace Bay, NS.

Aboard the Discovery mission, Dr. Bondar conducted experiments in the shuttle’s first international microgravity laboratory. For more than a decade at NASA Dr. Bondar headed an international research team, continuing to find new connections between astronauts recovering from the microgravity of space and neurological illnesses here on Earth. Her techniques have been used in clinical studies at the B. I. Deaconess Medical Center, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School and at the University of New Mexico.

CBU is also pleased to be collaborating with the Alexander Graham Bell Foundation in collaboration with The Roberta Bondar Foundation, Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site – Parks Canada, the Elmer Iseler Singers, Lunenburg School of the Arts and Musique Royale to celebrate Dr. Bondar and her contribution to Canadian history with a series of public events.